User Reviews

Strengths: Does its job...if set up perfectly and you don't hit anything too hard...so I guess it doesn't do it's job.

Weaknesses: 1. Pulleys will fall off and be lost if you don't follow the torque settings exactly.
2. The bash guard breaks and allows the chain guide portion to smash into your chainstay.

Bottom Line:

I put this device on my bike so I could attempt pretty gnarly stuff and not have to worry about my chainrings getting destroyed or whether my chain would stay on. My experience seems to be typical.

First, the LBS installed it without checking the pulley bolt torque and the entire pulley assembly got left somewhere on the mountain at Mammoth. They replaced it, but the replacement pulley assembly arrived missing essential hardware (spacers).

Now, I whacked an edge on South Mountain in Phoenix while doing a pretty tall step-up and the 2X broke at the upper tabs where the plate bolts to the frame, nowhere near the impact site. (On the Ibis Mojo HD, the 2X is secured by a large bolt through the lower suspension pivot). The chainguide rotated into the chainstay and to finish the ride I had remove and pocket the pulley assembly and muscle the bashguard back into place. I removed it completely that night and I spent the rest of the multi-day trip avoiding sharp-edged drops and step-ups that I normally attempt, just to save my chainrings.

I think the problem is that this device tries to do too much. The brunt of impacts is taken not by the polycarbonate bashguard's skidplate like their supposed to, but by the chainguide's more vulnerable aluminum arm that extends behind the skidplate. You can tell because the chainguide's aluminum arm has been mangled by impacts and this particular one was hard enough to deform and break it in two places where it attaches to the frame.

I'm going to grind the 2X down to what is essentially an MRP XCG to continue it's life as a skidplate type bashguard only, and install a SRAM G2 derailleur for chain retention. I already have this set-up on a Canfield Yelli Screamy and the combination works quite well. I do have to rotate the XCG back into place after particularly hard hits and I have had to replace the polycarbonate skidplate, so I installed the 2X on my Mojo HD hoping that it would do the job of those two devices and stay put under load.

Weaknesses: Doesn't keep the chain on. Way too flimsy for aggressive trail riding or all mountain.. Broke on second ride.

Bottom Line:

I purchased this to go with my XT 2x10 crank. 26/38T setup. It worked well for almost a year, then I started dropping chains. Each time, I would notice that the plastic guide post had unseated from its slot, allowing the outside pulley cover to rotate. Loosen the pulley bolt and put it all back into place will do the trick until the next ride. I contacted MRP about this, they said the pulley cover was "redone" 10mos ago with a longer guide post and the sent me one. Installed that, did one short ride, good. Raced Downieville today and threw a chain AGAIN.......only this time the guide post was totally gone. It sheared right off. Worse, my chain got looped from pedaling, and bent. Cost me 10 min of race time, but now I also
need a new chain.
Bottom line, if you ride anything bumpy at all, this is not the right guide for you. I'm changing over to a Blackspire Stinger/Blackspire Defender Bash ring, which I know others are using with great success.

Weaknesses: Guide pully cover is brittle if bashed and it is vulnerable without protection. Bash is brittle and cracked right through on first impact. Repaired with JB Weld and next hit broke it in another place. After years with bash protection from three kinds I never broke one.

Bottom Line:

This is a great innovation for XC. If you are a technical rider and ride hard AM this is way lightweight gear. After replacing the bash and pully cover within 2 months I still love it but it doesn't suit the abuse I had in mind for it.